Looking crestfallen and shell-shocked, John Toshack pondered for a moment before delivering an assessment that was every bit as bleak as the listless 90 minutes he had just presided over. "I know people always say you have got a chance until the referee blows his final whistle," said the Wales manager. "But I have got to be honest with you, and maybe I shouldn't say this, but I couldn't really see us getting back into the game at all.

It is often said players get managers the sack but this was a Wales display so abject that Toshack could have been forgiven for waking up yesterday morning and making the first move by tendering his resignation. His position carries a responsibility for results and performances but it is difficult to hold the manager accountable for the glaring individual errors that gifted Germany both goals on a night when Wales meekly surrendered.

Jason Koumas was the most culpable, with the midfielder's contribution summed up by the lack of concentration that allowed Thomas Hitzlsperger to pick his pocket in the lead-up to the first goal and the petulance he showed in the second half when he headed straight for the tunnel after being substituted. Toshack later revealed Koumas was not injured, although it must be hoped that the Wigan player's pride was at least hurting.

Few had envisaged anything other than a Germany victory here but Wales fans were entitled to believe Toshack's players would at least match the work-rate if not the technical ability of their opponents. That was not the case, though, as Wales played as if the loss of Craig Bellamy - who pulled out of the match after his newly-born daughter was readmitted to hospital - provided enough reason to relinquish all hope there could be an upset. Bellamy has since contacted Toshack and said he may well be able to travel with the squad to Slovakia today after all. If, as is expected, his wife and daughter are discharged from hospital this morning Bellamy could join up with the Wales squad for their mid-afternoon flight to Bratislava.

The one crumb of comfort for Toshack was that Germany, almost assured of their place in next summer's finals after taking 22 from a possible 24 points, appeared to be in sympathetic mood, with Joachim Löw's side scoring only twice despite dominating the match throughout. "Even losing you can get something out of a game," added Toshack. "We couldn't really get too many positives, only that the scoreline could have been bigger."

As it was, Germany settled for two Miroslav Klose goals, the first steered adroitly past Wayne Hennessey following Koumas's faux pas and the second nodded in after Gareth Bale was caught in possession. "We got what we deserved," admitted Danny Gabbidon, Wales's captain in the absence of Bellamy.

At the opposite end Jens Lehmann was almost a spectator, Freddy Eastwood toiling alone up front on his home debut and faring no better after Robert Earnshaw was introduced at half-time. Service to either player was in short supply as Bastian Schweinsteiger and Hitzlsperger enjoyed a game of keep-ball. "We had problems in the centre of midfield that we didn't get to grips with at all," added Toshack. "It was almost as if the rain kept coming in."

The forecast is the same for Wales's Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, with only mathematics keeping alive their hopes of appearing in next year's finals tournament. "When we lost 5-1 to Slovakia [last year] our first-half performance I thought [was] very good," added Toshack. "I thought it was a bit of a freak result at half-time. I can't say the same about the 90 minutes against Germany. And that's what probably disappoints me more than anything."